One in five young people would consider steroids use

More than one in five young people would consider taking muscle-building anabolic steroids, it has emerged.

The finding coincides with the launch of a new public information campaign on the dangers of using unprescribed anabolic steroids.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), which developed the campaign, is targeting young men because of the social pressure on them to look a certain way.

The sale and supply of anabolic steroids to the public outside of a registered pharmacy is illegal but there is growing evidence of non-medical use.

The volume of illegal anabolic steroids seized by the authorities increased ten-fold over the last three years.

The HPRA, together with the gardaí, seized 449,411 doses last year, compared to 109,006 units in 2016 and 38,049 in 2015.

The authority’s research reveals one in ten adults would consider taking the drugs to enhance physical performance or gain a more muscular physique.

Of particular concern is that over one in five of those aged 18 to 34 (22%) would consider taking the steroids. The authority found that half of adults (48%) are unaware or not sure of the side-effects of steroid use.

Possible physical effects include heart failure, liver issues, kidney damage, infertility, acne, and hair loss. The psychological and emotional impacts include mood swings and aggression, leading to depression.

A part of the campaign is a new website — zerogains.ie — where factual information on the risks of anabolic steroid use is provided.

HPRA chief executive Lorraine Nolan, said it wants to dispel the myth that non-medical use of steroids is safe and that users have nothing to lose by taking them.

We believe there are no gains from using substances that have been shown to cause a range of physical, psychological and emotional damage when misused,” said Dr Nolan.

“We know young men taking anabolic steroids are more likely to work out regularly so our campaign reflects that.

“Our approach is not to lecture but to provide the facts about the serious health risks in a clear and unambiguous way. We also want to urge anyone who suspects they are suffering health effects from anabolic steroid use to seek medical treatment immediately.”

Health Minister Simon Harris, who launched the campaign, said young men need to understand that when everything is taken into account, there are ‘zero gains’ to using anabolic steroids.

Sport Ireland chief executive John Treacy said it worked closely with HPRA in tackling the use of illegal substances.

“While the use of anabolic steroids would have traditionally been associated with improving physical performance, it is clear that they are now being taken for other purposes,” he said.

- zerogains.ie